Painted Feathers
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: Deep in the rainforests of an isolated island, the Ani'i live their lives in peace away from Equestria. That is until their island is discovered by ponies. What will happen now that their existence is known? What will happen to their ways of life? Read, review and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 1: Life**

Many ponies live by choice, but there are some that live for necessity. They live off the land with lives that have remained unchanged for over one thousand years. They cultivate their land, hunt for meat, and live their lives in peace and harmony away from the troubles of Equestria. They are a semi-nomadic tribe of griffons known as the Ani'i.

Their home is the rainforests on an island to the far south of Equestria. It is said to be the most beautiful island in all the kingdoms. A pure paradise of peace and harmony. No pony or griffon has ever ventured onto the island, and few know of it's existence. They have rejected all things modern, and live the traditional ways of hunting and gathering.

The Ani'i griffons have feathers and fur the color of polished wood, and grey beaks that turn a darker grey toward the tip. Because they are farmers and hunters, they are considered to be semi-nomadic. The yam harvest brings everyone in the village together, young and old. Yet where there is a harvest of yams, finding meat has been tough.

There was talk among the village that they may have to move again if they do not find meat. A hunting party had left for the forest three days ago, and some of the villagers feared that they would come back empty-taloned. Still, there is work to be done around the village as the women cultivated the land for yams, one of the staples of the Ani'i.

It was another day on the island for a young Ani'i she-griffon named Ri-Ri whom was gathering yams to the village. She is the daughter of Chief Yanu whom was out hunting with the village men. In the ancient language, Ri-Ri means 'Free Spirit' and she is one. The Ani'i see no need for clothes, and use tools made of iron and stone for daily tasks.

She is a skilled hunter, but Chief Yanu wanted her to stay back and tend to the harvest. With her work done for the day, Ri-Ri went out to the great cliff which was her favorite place on the island. Along with being a great hunter, she is also a great swimmer. The young she-griffon closed her eyes feeling the breeze flow through her fur and feathers.

Ri-Ri turned, and walked back to the village. She then got an idea for a little fun. She turned, and ran toward the edge and dived off the two hundred foot cliff. Meanwhile, the hunting party were coming back home to the village. The old gods of the hunt have granted them good fortune as they caught a wild pig tied by the ankles to a bamboo pole.

"O great chief, where may I find your daughter?" asked Koa, one of the young village men and one of best hunters in the village,

The chief soon heard and saw a splash as Ri-Ri gracefully entered the water talons first. The chief chuckled, "I would say the lake would be a good place to start," The other hunters laughed, and so did Koa. The she-griffon came up to the surface, and saw the chief, "one of our ancestors must have been a fish, it is good to see you, my daughter,"

The chief hugged his daughter and nuzzled their beaks from side to side as that is their traditional way to greet family, "It is good to see you too, father," said Ri-Ri, and the chief handed her his spear, "it looks like the gods smile on you on this hunt, you have caught a pig," she said, seeing the work of the hunters, "I could have gone with you,"

"I do not doubt your skills in the hunt, you are skilled as the best of the village men," said Chief Yanu, "the spirit of your mother is truly within you, Ri-Ri, she would have said the same thing you did, but meat is scarce in these times, it may not have been the work of the gods that brought us this meat, just luck, it may not feed the village, I fear"

Ri-Ri has a black double chevron tattoo on her forehead. One goes from her forehead to her middle of her eyeline, and the other is a smaller one directly behind the larger tattoo. She earned her mark when she was fourteen when she made her first kill as a hunter. Now eighteen years old, she has turned into the most beautiful of she-griffons.

She often carries an arm dagger above her right front talon for protection. Ri-Ri also carries one of her father's spears when she goes on a hunting party. When they returned to the village, the yam harvest was bountiful. The village was preparing each other for the evening's festivities as the women groomed each other, and painted their bodies.

They painted dazzling designs on their bodies using a black pigment made of charcoal and animal fat. Ri-Ri's coat and feather were dry by then, and she was motioned by one of the village women to have her body painted, "Such healthy looking thighs, may you prosper with many children," she said, and gave her a teasing tap. Ri-Ri laughed as well

Some of the village elders got a laugh too. A black zig-zag pattern was painted all over body to prepare for the Evening of the Great Harvest. This is her home. Some of the women were nursing their hatchings while the men prepared the meat to be roasted over the coals. Ri-Ri helped roast the yams with the other young women of the village.

The Shaman Ra'a'na presented himself to the village at the bonfire in the center, "Let us give thanks the spirits of our ancestors and the gods for this bountiful harvest, though meat is scarce, our spirits have persevered through these times, know that our ways of life will be forever eternal, and will remain as such until our time has come"


	2. Chapter 2

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 2: Arrival**

The village celebrated their harvest from the day into the night. It was truly a joyous time even when hunters had trouble catching game. Ri-Ri went to the river wash off the body paint from last night's festivities when something did not feel right to her. Ri-Ri took her arm dagger and a spear, and went into the forest to find out what was going on.

She followed the scent which led to her favorite cliff. From her view point, she saw something odd in the distance. Ri-Ri went into the forest, and joined up with another one of the village women, another hunter named Yuni. Along with her dagger, Yuni was armed with a war club similar to an Ula, "Did you see what my eyes have seen?" she asked,

"I did, it does not bode well, we must be cautious," said Yuni,

"I am going to go take a closer look, you go back and tell the village what you have seen," Ri-Ri instructed to Yuni. She moved in closer with the utmost quiet and stealth. She was hidden beneath the brush and leaves, and saw the newcomers to the island, _'they have no beaks, and their feet are flat, what manner of creature is this_?' she thought.

Meanwhile, Yuni went back to the village to tell the other what she had seen as instructed by Ri-Ri, "O great chief, I have seen things, things that cannot be unseen, we have newcomers to our land, they came riding on the waves of the sea, please my eyes dare not deceive you" said Yuni to the chief, the villagers started to talk among themselves

"Where is my daughter? She left to go to the forest, did she not?" asked the chief,

"She went to get a closer look at the newcomers, they have no beaks, their feet are flat and their pelts come in the colors of the sky after a rainstorm," explained Yuni, the chief scratched his chin at the thought of newcomers on the shores of their land. He had faith in his daughter that she was safe, "what must we do, O great chief?" asked Yuni,

Yuni too had earned her mark as a hunter. She had two chevron-shaped marks tattooed in black ink on her forehead, "Yuni, I need for you to find Ri-Ri. find my daughter, and bring her back to the village, these creatures could be dangerous" said Chief Yanu, the hunter nodded, and ran to the forest to find her, "I fear these tidings do not bode well"

Among the explorers was a griffon named Gabriella, _'I have never seen a more beautiful land in my life'_ she thought,

As the young griffon explored her new surroundings, signs of trouble were already brewing. Yuni went to go look for her friend, and saw the newcomers on the shore still. Suddenly, they were gone, "Where did they-?" she asked herself, and yelped as she was pulled by the back of her top feathers and dragged to the beach to the stallion sailors.

"Look what I found, boys, a token to bring back to Princess Celestia," said the sailor, Yuni squirmed and struggled in his grip. They disarmed her of her iron arm dagger, and war club, "we've been at sea for months, what say you boys? Let's try to get to know a native better," they laughed, but their laughter soon turned to panic when Ri-Ri came.

A spear flew through the air, and hit the sailor in the back of the skull and out the forehead, "-Are you hurt?-" asked Ri-Ri, offering her a hand up,

"Filthy savages!" said another sailor and they attacked them. Yuni picked her war club, and smacked one across the cheek, breaking his jaw and skull. Ri-Ri pulled her spear out of the dead stallion, and fought off two others. Out of the eight sailors, three were now dead and facedown in the sand. Gabriella came across the two of them in shock.

They had to get back to the village. Ri-Ri signaled with two talons that she will go right, and Yuni will go left. Gabriella was not sure where to go, and went right to go after Ri-Ri. The chief's daughter knew where to go, a secret path to the village. Ri-Ri was at a waterfall over one-hundred feet high and stopped. Gabriella thought she had caught her.

"Give it up, you've nowhere to go," said the griffon unsheathing a sword at her side,

Ri-Ri looked behind her, and lightly shook her head to the griffon. She couldn't understand what Gabriella said, but her simple gesture to her was to let Gabriella know that she is not one of them. Ri-Ri walked up to the edge of the falls, and faced Gabriella. She had a trick as she specialized in many kinds of dives, "Hey, watch out for the edge"

"What're you doing, c'mon we can work this out, I'm a griffon just like you," Gabriella said trying to persuade Ri-Ri not to jump. She stood on her back legs, and had her talons at shoulder height, and slowly fell backwards, "wait-wait-wait-! NO!" Gabriella yelled, but Ri-Ri entered the waiting waters below talons first with a good-sized splash.

A few of the sailors came onto the scene having found Gabriella, "What happened?" one of them asked,

Gabriella sighed and shook her head, "I chased a native over to the waterfall, she jumped off the edge, she's dead," Gabriella explained, a few of them looked over the edge, and saw a body floating facedown in the pool below. When they made their leave of the falls, Ri-Ri swam away. She got out of the water behind the falls which led to a cave.

The cave led to an opening on the other side of the mountain near the village. Yuni hugged her friend, happy to see she was safe. The events led the chief to make a decree, "This day has taught us a lesson, the newcomers cannot be trusted, let it be known that from this day forward that going near or interacting with the newcomers is forbidden,"


	3. Chapter 3

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 3: Warrior**

The Ani'i are unlike any species in the whole of Equestria. They are wingless or 'earth griffons' as many sources have classified them as. They still live peaceful lives without the need of flight. They use their natural puma agility, and carved out canoes to move about the islands. The ponies have risen tensions among the members of the tribe.

Chief Yanu called a village meeting, "The ponies are dangerous, they have malice in their hearts and minds set with greed, they are different from us, that means they cannot be trusted, if such events come again, then we will take up the club, the knife, and the spear of the Ani'i, we will fight and defend our homes and children from these savages"

"My daughter, if I am to fall in battle, you will lead our people," said the chief to Ri-Ri,

"Yes father," said Ri-Ri, "more of them will come, we must make our stand, even if it is our last,"

"I have raised you the way I would have raised a son, you have made me very proud, Ri-Ri," said Chief Yanu, Ri-Ri bowed to the chief as she was handed one of his spears. The chief turned to his people, "YAKA! ('blood' in the Ani'i language, also the traditional battle-cry)," yelled Chief Yanu, his warriors and warrior women yelled back in pride,

These griffons were fighting for their lives, families, and children. These warriors were fighting against ponies armed with guns, but they did not care. This is their land, and they will not give it up without a fight. For saving Yuni's life, Ri-Ri had her body christened with a tattoo. A bold black zigzag pattern covered her right flank from butt to ankle.

"May your enemies fear your spear," encouraged an elder tending to Ri-Ri's tattoo which represent mountains for strength.

"And your club, Yuni," said Yuni's mother, Yakara, whom gave her the same pattern as Ri-Ri, but hers is on her left flank,

The Village was preparing to send a war party since more ponies had been seen coming ashore. Some of the young women chose to fight while mothers tending to their children or prepared food. Spears were fire-hardened. Bows were checked for tension, and the warriors armed themselves with knives, war clubs, spears, bows and arrows.

War was common among other tribes. Yakara was an experienced warrior, and her body tattoos reflected that. Both her eyes were covered by moon-shaped tattoos going from her forehead to her lower jaw, and her flanks were covered with mix of bold parallel line patterns and bold zigzag patterns. Yakara's weapon of choice is the spear.

The 'taku' or spear is a favorite among the Ani'i as a thrusting and throwing weapon. It is made from a perfectly straight staff of ironwood. The staff is sharpened to the point where the tip bleeds when touched by a finger. The spear is heat-treated and polished into a weapon that can easily punch through armor, "Be strong of heart," said Yakara

"Our hearts are unconquerable," said Yuni, and off they went to the forest ready for battle with Koa and his brother Rakunu.

They were the archers in the war party of four warriors. They kept off the trail since this was the trail to their village, the ponies would use it. Koa had a plan, and signaled it to the other three in the party. Koa signaled for Yuni and Ri-Ri to go to the pond and attack from the water while he and his brother would attack them from the treetops.

Ri-Ri and Yuni dived in, and used their fur color to hide in the grass and reeds. Koa and Rakunu climbed up into the trees. The sound of hooves became louder as a patrol of ten ponies hiked the trail. Ri-Ri and Yuni saw them and slowly went underwater and swam underwater into position ready to pounce on the enemy. Koa saw a shot, and took it.

He made a slow breath, and fired hitting the second-in-command in the temple, "Engage!" said the officer in front,

Rakunu leaped from one tree to the other dodging bullets, and hit the officer in front with an arrow to the stomach. The second-in-command fell face down in the pond, "Unu! Unu-hana! ("Attack! Attack now!")," yelled Koa shooting his bow and killing another pony soldier, and to the surprise of the soldiers, two warriors attacked from the water

Ri-Ri ran her spear into the neck and out the back of the skull of an enemy while Yuni was crushing skulls with her war club. Ri-Ri threw her spear like javelin into the forehead and between the eyes of a soldier. She then pulled out her arm dagger, and held a pony in a head lock before slitting her throat. It was a successful ambush attack.

"Dunu-ka Mahi-nak? ("What about this one?")," asked Yuni, Koa pulled out a machete and hacked off the officer's head,

"Yunu-ke ha Maha-netu ("Let this be a warning to our enemies") said Koa putting the severed head on a sharpened stick. The bodies of the dead were placed in a pile off the trail, and burned. Ri-Ri picked up one of the weapons the soldiers were carrying. It was an 1873 Springfield Trapdoor rifle. She had never seen a weapon quite like it.

"Yughi-he maha-kutu, manu-ke sii mata, ("This is one of the enemy weapons, father will want to see this,")," said Ri-Ri as the four of them headed back to their village unharmed. The Village was safe as well. Yakara was in charge of the defense of the village and welcomed her daughter with open arms, a warm hug, and warm nuzzling beaks.

"I am happy to see you are safe, my daughter," said Yakara to Yuni, "how many ponies were there?"

"Ten, just a war party, many more will come, there are so many ponies, how does the world not suffocate?" asked Yuni, her mother Yakara put a gentle taloned hand on the shoulder of her daughter, and went find food. Chief Yanu welcomed his daughter back as well in the traditional manner. The Equestria-Ani'i War has only just begun


	4. Chapter 4

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 4: Tradition**

For the Ani'i Tribe, tattoos are not just given, they are earned. For a successful ambush attack on the pony soldiers, all four of the warriors earned tattoos. Koa and his brother Rakunu were given marks on their foreheads that looked like upside down crescent moons covering the eyelids to make them look fierce in battle, and give them strength.

Ri-Ri and Yuni earned their marks as well. Yuni's mother Yakara and one of the village elders tended to their tattoos. The bold black zigzag pattern now covered both their flanks. The tattooing process often took weeks to finish, and covered both the front and rear of their back legs. Yakara used a special cloth ball to wipe away any excess ink.

There are ways to tell the difference between a male warrior and a female warrior. One is in the placement of the tattoos. The men get their tattoos on their foreheads, shoulders, and front talons. The women get their bodies marked on the forehead and flanks. Another is in their warpaint. The men wear red warpaint while women wear white.

Warpaint is used only in open battle. The men wear a red paint made from water and urucu berries. The paint covers the front halves of their bodies except for the beak, but the layer of color is thin enough to show their tattoos. Younger males that have yet to earn their first tattoos paint the top half red, and their bottom half, flanks and tails black.

The experienced fighting women like Yuni, Ri-Ri, and Yakara are nicknamed 'Aki-Banu' or 'White-Legs'. The spaces in between the tattooed markings on their flanks are painted white which symbolizes 'purity' while the red the men wear represents 'power. The white warpaint makes it look like they are wearing white pants hence the nickname.

Young unmarked female warriors wear a two-faced pattern of warpaint. The left half is painted white while the right half is painted black from face to flank. The black zigzag patterns are painted on the white half of the first time female warriors to give them strength. Yakara watched and reminisced as a female warrior was being painted for battle

"I recall fondly when I wore those colors for the first time," sighed Yakara with a smile,

Yet today was not a day for battle. It was the day of the Harvest Festival, and the men and women of the village were preparing for the wrestling matches. Some of the men were dancing a traditional line dance, holding each other by the waists and stamping their back left foot on the ground representing the relationship between them and earth.

Ra'na'a the Shaman led the dance from the front as the men danced with bells and shells tied to hemp belts, and the beat of Ra'na'a's rattle or 'Uku'. Next came the wrestling matches while some of the women prepared roasted meat and yams or nursed their hatchlings. It was a happy time for the village since the ponies weren't threatening them.

The matches start with the opponents crouching down and a quick touching of the talons to start each match. The goal is to pin your opponent to the ground. Use of weapons and feather pulling are illegal. Yuni and Ri-Ri laughed as they wrestled each other, and were covered in dust. Yakara and Chief Yanu laughed joyously with their daughters.

After the friends dusted each other off, the white warpaint was removed. Night fell on the village for the blessing and chanting ceremony to begin. Ra'na'a the Shaman was dressed in a cone-shaped garment made of grass and reeds. He stamped his feet into the earth, and spun in a circle while raising and shaking his rattle and bowing his head.

"Seke ha-ne guna! ("Gods above hear our praise")," Ra'na'a sang to the beautiful, starry night sky above,

"Ya ya ya-ha ne!" ("O gods above we praise you") the village sang back, sitting and gathered in a circle around a large bonfire. They clapped the beat to bring rythym to the dance, and harmony among the villagers. One of the main ceremonies is the 'Makumu' or 'Strengthening Ceremony'. It starts when a mother gives her child to the Shaman.

"Kinii, aman naha kiri-tu ka! ("Young One, may all in the village give you the strength of the gods") blessed Ra'na'a, drawing a circle with a cross and four dots representing earth, wind, fire, and water. The hatchling is then given to each member of the village to hold and pass to another before the hatchling is given back to it's mother at the end.

"U-uru maka-ha," ("May the gods grant you strength,") said each village member in joyful chanting while passing the child around. After the Makumu, the feasting can begin. The roast pig was shared among everyone in the village with roasted white yams and fruit of all kinds. It was a beautiful night, and a joyous night for a new mother and child.

The next morning, Ri-Ri woke up, and hiked the trails around the mountains not only to keep herself fit but to watch for any enemy soldiers. She was armed in case she was attacked. One of the weapons she carried is called an 'Onoka', a polished hardwood flanged war club, with a leather wrist loop. The other weapon is an arm dagger or 'Kanii'.

She did not see any pony soldiers. That made her suspicious. She continued walking the trail, and went up to a ten meter high cliff at the river. She put down her war club, and smiled to herself and dived off into the fresh water and bathed herself. She rubbed her body in herbs like mint as she bathed. She climbed the cliff to retrieve her club.

Ri-Ri came back to the village, "My eyes have not seen the enemy, Nakami (Goddess of Nature) will surely punish the ponies," said Ri-Ri placing her club by her hammock. She went to visit Yuni and hugged her and nuzzled her beak. The two of them stayed prepared as they practiced spear throwing not knowing when the ponies will attack.


	5. Chapter 5

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 5: Wrath**

The Ani'i believe in a triumvirate of gods and goddesses, and bring offers and ceremonies to honor them during different times of the year. According to the Ani'i, O'nu is the chief of the gods and has two daughters: Nakami the Goddess of Nature and Fu-Anii the Goddess of Battle. The prayers were soon answered, and Nakami unleashed her fury.

The ponies had no idea what was coming. While the Ani'i had traditional medicines that cured disease, the ponies did not. The Equestrian Army was not prepared for diseases like Malaria and Yellow Fever which took more lives than battle with the Ani'i. Snake bites and bites from poisonous spiders also claimed many lives among the pony soldiers.

There were other dangers the ponies faced like pony-eating crocodiles, quicksand, tropical scorpions, mosquitos and hordes of venomous killer wasps. Anything that did attack the soldiers that was not an Ani'i or Kaney-Kaney warrior usually did. The ponies came thinking they could easily subdue the inhabitants, and take control. They were wrong.

The midday heat in the rain forest, and the monsoon rains in the rainy season made life unbearable for the pony soldiers stationed to quell the rebellion. The constant heat and rains took their toll on their weapons, ruining the ammunition to their rifles. Ri-Ri noticed the changes as she led two young warriors on a scouting mission in the forest.

The Ani'i had eyes watching them everywhere from the bushes, the treetops, and rivers. Ri-Ri returned to the village with Ikani and Shii-ne, two young warriors in training, and greeted her father, "How fares our enemy? It has been months since the last battle," asked Chief Yanu as his daughter went his side. Shii-ne poked Ikani in the left flank.

Ikani kneeled on bended knee and looked up to the chief, "O great chief, the morale is as low as a toad that has yet to catch it's prey," said Ikani to the chief of the village,

Chief Yanu is a wise chief. A veteran warrior, Chief Yanu treats his people as he treats himself. By the ancient rites, he is the only member that is allowed to wear both red and white warpaint which symbolizes his people in battle. He wears a ring-shaped iron headdress with a crest in front shaped like an axe blade with two long black parrot feathers.

The chief nodded, and dismissed the two warriors. Yanu went to his hut, and placed his headdress on a shelf, "I have heard word from a Kaney-Kaney messenger that their people had similar successes against the enemy, we face a common enemy, there is only so much the gods can do," he explained to his daughter, "what say you?" he asked

"We should gather the leader of the other tribe and discuss what further action should be taken on this enemy," said Ri-Ri, Yanu put a taloned hand on her shoulder, knowing he raised her well. The Equestrian Military Expedition to acquire the island was turning into a disaster, "our enemy knows nothing of our land, that may seal the pony's fate,"

"Don't be so sure, my daughter, our enemy may learn from their mistakes, and will come again," said the chief, still teaching his daughter, "but still, a meeting of the tribal leaders is a must at these times," he agreed, "I have an important task for you, I need for you to see Kuoroku, the Kaney-Kaney chief, and tell him that I request his council,"

"Yes, father" said Ri-Ri with a bow, and taking her 'Kanii' as her weapon to defend herself, and off she went to the trails to the Kaney-Kaney village, a long journey on foot.

Meanwhile, conditions for the soldiers turned from bad to worse. Cholera ran rampant through the troops plus rock slides, drowning, and falling off the high mountain trails were also claiming lives. Princess Celestia wanted that island annexed into Equestria by any means necessary. The island was as much a foe as the Ani'i and Kaney-Kaney.

Ri-Ri was making the journey to the Kaney-Kaney village, home to the black panther earth griffons. Suddenly, Ri-Ri heard distant hoof-steps. She swan dived into a nearby bush, and peaked one of her golden brown eyes through a hole. She had a taloned hand gripping her iron arm dagger, but the ponies were carrying the dead on a stretcher.

Their muzzles were covered by white cloth masks. The two unicorn stallions took the covered body to a pit with hundreds of other bodies of the dead. Ri-Ri knew these bodies came not from battle, but from disease. The bodies were soon burned until they were all but grey ash and bits of burnt bone. The ponies finally buried them with their shovels.

Ri-Ri made her leave when the ponies left the buried pit. The Ani'i and the Kaney-Kaney have not lost a single warrior in battle against the ponies. Their knowledge of their homeland was their greatest advantage. Ri-Ri walked the trails that led to the Kaney-Kaney lands which was another two days journey along the trail the tribes use to trade.

Among the dead were nurses whom had died from exposure to the diseases. Ri-Ri began to pity the ponies. The pity she felt was for the ponies to leave her home so they would not have to suffer. A colonel sat down on a log, and opened a leather pouch at his side by his saber. He pulled out a book, and small pencil to write a letter to his wife.

 _To My Beloved,_

 _What are we doing in this war? We are the sword of Princess Celestia, but the morale is so low I fear the blade is made of wood. I've lost more ponies to disease than combat. The island is as much an enemy as the natives. We did not ask for this war. We followed orders. I pray the natives can find it in themselves to forgive us for our trespasses._

 _Your Love,_

 _Silver Wing_


	6. Chapter 6

**My Little Pony: Painted Feathers**

 **Chapter 6: Home**

* * *

 _To My Dearest Spring Rose,_

 _Words cannot express my longing to see you, and feel your warm embrace. The conditions at the front are unbearable. The food is awful, and our supplies are running low. Disease has plaguing our soldiers since they arrived. It seems now we not only have to fight the enemy, but also the island. It is a futile fight that nopony was prepared for._

 _Your Husband, Your Love,_

 _\- Gentle Breeze_

* * *

 _Dearest Cinnamon Swirl,_

 _My soldiers and I thought we were going to paradise to claim a new world for Equestria. The land that was paradise has turned into Hell. There are more ponies dying from sickness than battle. I have not seen a single native fall to our guns. My soldiers don't have the stomach to fight. We fight a war that we started, but we did not ask for._

 _I may die on this island, but I have yet to see what form my death will take. I have lost soldiers to every single form of death. Our numbers are dwindling, and my soldiers long to be home to see their families, and loved ones. We have our orders. We cannot leave until the island is taken. If I had my say, those orders mean certain death._

 _The Love of Your Life,_

 _Bountiful Harvest,_

* * *

 _Dear Beloved,_

 _I want nothing more than to see your smiling face. We were ambushed by the natives just the other day. None of our rifles fired, and my entire company was massacred. The midday heat beats down on our backs with anger, and the humidity has spoiled our food, and ruined our ammunition. I must say I admire our foe. They can keep their land._

 _I live only to hold you in my hooves again,_

 _-Ocean Tide_

* * *

 _To My Love Sweet Berry,_

 _I recall marching in the parade before I was sent to fight. Many of the protesters were calling us 'thieves'. In my time here, I have concluded to the fact that they are right. This land belongs to the natives. We had no right to come here thinking we can take it from them. These natives are stronger than anypony, I dare not call them Savages._

 _Their warriors have more heart and spirit than any of the ponies. They attack with spears, clubs, knives, bows and arrows against our guns. They are as fast as lightning, and can decimate a whole company of soldiers in minutes. They have the right to be angry at us. If am to fall in battle by their talon, I will accept that rather than by disease._

 _Your Husband,_

 _Summer Balsam_

* * *

 _To My Dearest Loving Wife,_

 _Day by day the conditions at our camp worsen. One of the nurses has been stricken with Malaria. She was a favorite among the wounded she tended to. I fear she won't survive the night. To whatever deities the natives pray to, I ask nothing more than for their forgiveness, and beg for their mercy. I need an exit. I need an escape from here._

 _-Morning Glory,_

* * *

 _Dearest Honeysuckle,_

 _These days the only thing we can do now is wait, either for us to pull out of the island or have the inhabitants kill us all. The heat and humidity of the rainforest has made our rifles useless. We send out patrols to walk the trails once and a while. There are times the patrols seem to vanish without a trace. We started blaming and cursing the natives._

 _We had found the patrol weeks later. They were crushed under a rockslide. There's been some word spread from the other stationed companies of soldiers being attacked by crocodiles, and hordes of poisonous wasps. It seems the island itself wants to punish us for our trespassing. We are the Will of Princess Celestia, but our will is falling apart._

 _Please write back to me soon,_

 _Autumn Gaels_

* * *

 _Dearest Mother,_

 _We got to face the island natives in open battle today. We did not stand even a fool's chance. It maybe pure luck that I am here writing to you now. I fear the natives as much as I admire them. Even native women fight alongside the men. They are as fast as lightning, but have no wings. The women are particularly fierce. They fight like demons._

 _They use such primitive weapons, but our rifles are useless against them. The conditions on the island have caused our rifles to misfire. The island natives slaughtered us like a scythe to the briar bushes. It seems that our very uniforms mean certain death. There is no happiness in our camp. Only the slow sad tune of a soldier's harmonica at night._

 _Your Son,_

 _Golden Merit_

* * *

 _To My Darling Wife,_

 _It was a mistake to set hoof on this island. We are paying for our mistake with our lives. The carnage in battle seems to favor the natives. I recall hiding from the natives under the bodies of the dead, and waiting until nightfall to make it back to camp. Among them was a young soldier, speared through the heart among his fallen brothers._

 _H_ _is dead, lifeless eyes stared back at me with a trickle of blood from his mouth. His eyes seemed to ask a simple question: why? Why are we here? Why do we fight? When I returned that night to my camp. I couldn't bare to even look at any of the other soldiers in the eye. It's not the fault of the natives. They fight to defend themselves from us._

 _Your Husband,_

 _Sentinel Oak_

* * *

 _To My Dearest Golden Fields,_

 _This maybe the last letter that I will ever write. The nights are lonely without your warmth, and the days are long. I wish only to see you again. To think that I enlisted to fight for glory. Now I know this war has driven some mad. If there is an end in sight to this war, I wish only to embrace you with all my love and never hold a gun for as long as I live._

 _Your Loving Husband,_

 _Gentle Tides_


End file.
